


Mistletoe-ing The Line

by Snugglebuttkitten



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Never Met, Alternate Universe - No Kwamis, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alya Needs to Chill, Awkward Flirting, Bad Matchmaking, Bad Puns, Dorks in Love, Fluff, Hot Mess Adrien Agreste, Hot Mess Marinette Dupain-Cheng, adrienette - Freeform, chloe is nice, sin - Freeform, winter shenanigans
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-06 04:14:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16824934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snugglebuttkitten/pseuds/Snugglebuttkitten
Summary: Marinette Dupain-Cheng is a simple girl, with a simple life. Working towards her dream of becoming a Fashion Designer, she currently attends college while also running a coffee shop/bakery owned by her parents. She is quite happy with the life she leads but has always felt there is something she's missing. A void her beloved dog, Tikki, can't fill. When her friends propose a trip to an exclusive and expensive Ski Resort, all expenses paid, she can't say no. She had no idea how that one decision will alter her whole life forever.Adrien Agreste is a simple boy, with a not-so-simple life. Son of fashion legend, Gabriel Agreste, Adrien is one of Paris's top models and as such, has always led a carefully sheltered life. Now, in his early twenties, he is breaking away from the fashion business to pursue a career in teaching. With his father breathing down his neck constantly about eventually taking over the family business, and with the stress of finals weighing him down, he doesn't hesitate when his best friend invites him along on a trip to an exclusive ski resort for the Christmas Holidays.





	1. I Purromise, Yule Have Fun

**Author's Note:**

> Guess who found their Laptop Charger? This girl ;) So as promised, I am going to focus mainly on my Christmas Story for the month of December. This isn't the original Idea I was going with. Originally I wanted to do a Christmas Carol AU but just could not write it; there was a huge block and so instead, I give you: an aged up Adrienette story where they don't know each other prior to the start of the story. Also, love, at first sight, dorks in love, and Nino and Alya being matchmaking wizards and probably screwing shit up a lot more than helping. Also, Plagg x Tikki moments even though this is a Non-Powered AU ;) Without further ado, I present: Mistletoe-ing The Line
> 
> \--Kitty

"You want to go to a Ski Resort?" Marinette Dupain-Cheng paused in the process of putting another batch of cupcakes into the industrial-sized oven to stare incredulously at her best friend, Alya Cesaire. After nearly a decade of friendship, she was rather used to her friend's wild and outlandish ideas but normally those ideas involved either whatever story the aspiring journalist was working on, or curing Marinette's lack of a love life. They did not normally include expensive trips to secluded Ski Resorts that neither of them could ever hope to afford because they were broke college students. Scarily enough, the auburn-haired girl looked dead serious as she leaned against one of the stainless steel workstations that sat in the baker's large kitchen area.

"Yes! I do. Come on, Mari, it will be fun!" Alya agreed eagerly, straightening up as her friend carefully closed the oven and set the timer. Hands clasped in front of her chest, the taller of the two girls jutted out her lower lip and widened her eyes in a perfect imitation of the puppy-dog stare. "Come on, Mare. Your parents are going to be in China this year for the holidays, so it's not like you have anyone else to spend the holidays with, and I will not allow my best friend to sit alone in the dormitory for the entire Christmas holiday. Say you'll come with!"

"Alya, Miraculous Ski Resort is the best resort in all of Europe! Even if we could get in, which is unlikely because they're also the most _exclusive_ resort in Europe, they're ridiculously expensive! We couldn't afford to go," she pointed out, trying to let her friend down gently. She was well-accustomed to being the practical one in this friendship; Alya was all passion and spontaneity. Once she got an idea in her head, there were few things that could stop her from achieving her goal. Unfortunately, in this instance, Marinette was pretty sure no amount of dreaming would get them into Miraculous Ski Resort. It was the type of place that catered to the rich, the famous, and the elite and they were none of those things.

"That's just it!" Alya exclaimed as Marinette joined her at the workstation to begin prepping the next batch of cupcakes. Her excitement didn't seem to have diminished in the slightest. "Do you remember Alix Kubdel from Lycee?"

"Yeah, of course. I haven't seen Alix in years, though," Marinette said thoughtfully, beginning to fill the cupcake pan with pink princess themed cupcake holders. They were due for a little girl's birthday party later that afternoon and Marinette was trying to get the order done early so that she had time to study for her final midterm before Winter Break commenced. As she began to fill the cupcake holders with chocolate cake batter, she allowed her mind to wander to her old friends from Lycee. Aside from Alya and Chloe Bourgeois, she hadn't kept in contact with most of her old friends. She still saw Rose Lavillant and Juleka Couffaine from time to time, but that was mostly because Juleka was in a few of the same classes as Marinette was in. While Marinette wanted to be a Fashion Designer, Juleka wanted to be a personal stylist or perhaps a make-up artist. Both fields interested her and were similar enough to combine if she couldn't decide between them. They talked on occasion and often invited Rose and Juleka along if they were going out to the club on the weekends.

She had run into Lila Rossi once or twice when visiting Chloe at the hotel she was now practically running for her father but unlike Chloe, Lila hadn't changed much since Lycee. While Chloe had completely changed her ways and started being a kinder, more compassionate person, Lila was still a compulsive liar and one of Marinette's least favorite people. Surprisingly, Marinette actually considered Chloe to be a close friend these days. They had a rocky relationship back in Lycee when Chloe had often bullied the darker haired girl, but a heartfelt apology during their graduation had gone a long way towards beginning to mend bridges between them. The rest of her classmates, such as Mylene and Alix and Sabrina, Marinette hadn't seen since graduation. As far as she knew, neither had Alya, so it was odd hearing her bring up the girl now.

"Well, you remember how her older brother. Jalil, used to be obsessed with history and old artifacts and stuff? Well, now he's this really famous historian who like teaches seminars and stuff and he's like... crazy rich now... and I guess he and their dad are working on a project out of the country right now so Alix will be all alone for the holidays," Alya was saying when Marinette tuned back into the conversation. The ravenette shot her friend a bemused look as she began filling another pan of cupcakes with vanilla batter.

"Okay, so what does that have to do with you wanting to go to this Ski Resort?" She asked, even though she was sure her friend would have supplied the information whether she spoke up or not.

"Well, Jalil apparently feels really bad about leaving her alone for the holidays, so he offered to _rent out_ Miraculous Ski Resort for the month of December for Alix and he said she can being whoever she wants!" Alya explained, grabbing her friend by the shoulders and shaking her excitedly. Cake batter splattered on the floor as a result but Marinette barely noticed, too busy staring at her friend with a dumbfounded expression on her face.

"The whole place? He rented the _whole_ place!?" She echoed in disbelief. Alya bobbed her head, pleased to finally have her friend's undivided attention.

"Yes, girl! And she says she wants to invite all her old friends for a reunion of sorts!" She explained with a squeal. Marinette let out a low whistle of appreciation.

"Damn... Monsieur Kubdel certainly spares no expense when it comes to his sister. Who else is coming? Do you know?" She asked, finally shaking herself from her surprised stupor and moving to the kitchen's sink to wet a towel down in order to clean up the mess she'd made. It was a Sunday, so this branch of the bakery was closed. Her parents had decided to expand their business in her final year of Lycee and now owned four shops. The main shop was open seven days a week; the others were open six days a week and closed on Sundays. Since Marinette helped run this particular shop, that usually meant Sunday was her day off, but her parents were crazy busy at the main branch and she had offered to utilize the kitchen in her own shop to help knock out a few of their deliveries for the day. Alya was there to help out and keep her company, though she seemed more interested in taste testing than actually helping bake.

"Um... let's see. Rose and Juleka are supposed to be coming; so are Chloe and Nate. I think Sabrina is coming, but I'm not positive. Mylene and Ivan will be there, and then Alix said she had a few guy friends that she knew from a different school who are coming along as well." Alya ticked the people off on her fingers while Marinette moved to take the first batch of cupcakes from the oven and slide the second batch into place. She carried the hot pan carefully over to the cooling racks before digging out a mixer. She had already used fondant to make little ears and horns for the cupcakes, which would be designed to look like unicorns. Now all she had to do was create the frosting.

"What about Lila?" Marinette asked as she began mixing the ingredients for the whipped frosting into different bowls that would eventually be colored in different pastel shades. The end result would be a rainbow frosting once it was piped through the piping bag.

"Naw, Lila is in Hollywood right now, shooting for her newest movie," Alya said, a wistful look on her face as she spoke of the girl. Even nearly a decade later and she still idolized the girl and refused to believe anything bad Marinette had to say about her. It was infuriating but Marinette had mostly made peace with that fact. There wasn't anything she could do to change her friend's mind at this point anyway. 

"Well, it sounds amazing, Alya. But I have the shop to think about! My parents expect me to help out both here and at the main shop while they're in China. I can't just up and leave for the month," she pointed out with an apologetic shrug. If she expected Alya to look crestfallen, she was sorely disappointed. If anything, her best friend's grin only grew wider.

"Actually, Marinette, I already talked to Tom and Sabine and as of yesterday, you are completely free for the entire month of December. Consider it an early Christmas Present. Your parents want you to go and have fun; you're young, Mare. You have all the time in the world to become a workaholic when you finish school and become a world-famous fashion designer. But for now, say you'll come with us," Alya pleaded, hazel eyes widening hopefully as she blinked at her friend. Marinette hesitated, her resolve already beginning to crumble. It did sound like fun, and it was probably a once in a lifetime opportunity. Plus, Miraculous Ski Resort was known for being pet-friendly, which meant she could take her dog with her. Really, with work taken care of and with no school obligations outside of her final midterm on Tuesday, she had no other reason to say no. So, after a moment, she grinned and gave her best friend a decisive nod.

"Alright, I'll go. But you'd better not make me regret it!" She teased playfully. Alya's answer was an excited squeal that nearly destroyed the poor girl's eardrums. 


	2. Try Being A Little Elf-ish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tbh this chapter was like a 45-minute speed write so I am sorry if it seems rushed and short. Future chapters will likely be about twice the length of the first two chapters because we will be getting into the main story. I just wanted the first two chapters to show Marinette/Adrien's reaction to the trip

"The answer is no, Adrien," the man's voice seemed to echo off the walls of the large foyer in the mansion, and his gaze was harsh when he glared at his son. Gabriel Agreste had never been a sentimental man. There was a time, many years ago, when family had meant something to him; a time when Christmas was more than just another day in the year. His wife, Emilie Agreste, had loved Christmas more than any other holiday and he had taken great pleasure in watching her get so ridiculously excited whenever it came time to decorate. She refused to hire a company to put their lights up or professionally decorate the tree. She used to insist he take the whole day off work so that they could drag out all the Christmas decorations and put them up all over the mansion. It would normally take the entire day, but her laughter had been so infectious and her smile so radiant that he hadn't the heart to deny her. Whatever joy he took from the holiday had been snuffed out the day that his wife had disappeared.

"But father-" Adrien stepped closer to the grand staircase, from which his father was currently glaring down at him. The older man didn't give him a chance to finish pleading his case, however. His face was stoic, his tone harsh as he addressed his only child. There was no understanding, no love in the man's tone. His ability to love had been snuffed out right along with his joy for the holidays.

"You have a responsibility to this company, Adrien. I allowed you to attend college, sure you would abandon your silly pursuit of a teaching degree within a few months, but thus far you have only proven that you don't know what's best for you, or for your future," the older man shook his head in exasperation. "You are the only heir to an empire that I built from the ground up. One day, I will retire and you will take over my company."

"Father, I don't want to take over your company! I want to teach; I want to shape the minds of the next generation! I want to do something I can be passionate about," Adrien protested, his green eyes wide and imploring as he silently begged his father to understand. The elder Agreste's expression didn't change, however.

"Passion will not pay the bills, Adrien! You are young and naive. You do not yet understand how the world works. Teaching is beneath you; beneath your station. It is not the Agreste way," Gabriel insisted, adjusting his glasses before clasping his hands behind his back.

"But father, please! Teaching is what I love doing; it's what I want to do with my life," he tried, but the man remained utterly impassive.

"You are an Agreste, Adrien. It is time you start acting like one."

With those parting words, Gabriel Agreste spun on his heel and left his son standing there alone in the foyer of the massive Agreste Mansion. He didn't look back, didn't say anything else, but his parting words seemed to resonate within the boy. Frustrated tears pricked at the young man's eyes and with a growl of annoyance, he spun on his heel and left the mansion. The door slammed shut behind him with enough force to rattle the door frame, but he didn't care. He was angry and hurt and he needed to unwind. He could think of no better way than to invite his best friend over for a drink. Nino always knew exactly what to say to make him feel better. Feeling marginally better already, he pulled out his cell and dialed his friend's number as he slid into his car and started towards his apartment on the other side of the city.

**☆☆☆☆☆**

"Aw man, that really blows," Nino Lahiffe breathed out, leaning against the kitchen bar and patting his best friend comfortingly on the shoulder. Nino had met Adrien back when he was about ten. The pair had befriended each other through an online video game and met up IRL when they were about thirteen at a local arcade. THey had clicked immediately, and been the best of buds ever since. For the longest time, Nino had been Adrien's only friend outside of Chloe Bourgeois, the daughter of Mayor Bourgeois and Adrien's childhood playmate. Because of that, the two boys had become nearly inseparable in their formative years and that closeness hadn't diminished in the slightest as they began to navigate their way through adulthood.

"He just... he doesn't... argh, he never _listens_ to me!" Adrien growled in frustration, slamming his half-empty beer bottle down on the counter and turning to face his friend. The normally perfect Adrien Agreste looked haggard now, hair unkempt and eyes bloodshot from a mixture of alcohol and crying. He couldn't help it when it came to his father. The relationship he shared with that man was the very definition of dysfunctional, but of course, therapy wasn't 'the Agreste way' so that was kind of out.

"I know, man. It's seriously messed up."

"It is! He treats me like I'm an asset, rather than like I'm his son. He makes me feel expendable and for what!? All because I look like my mother? It isn't fair that he's been punishing me for her disappearance all these years!" Adrien snarled, slamming back the rest of his beer and tossing the bottle into the nearby recycle bin. Nino watched him, mildly concerned, but didn't protest when the blond got up to fetch his third beer of the evening from the fridge. Adrien was pretty good at holding his liquor and Nino wouldn't let him drink more than he could handle. Heaven knew his friend needed to let a load off.

"Look, man, I know you have this whole thing about pleasing people, but maybe it's time you focused on what you want instead... you know?" Nino tried once his friend had resumed his place on one of the barstools. Adrien's green gaze flickered his way and despite the alcohol he had already consumed, they were bright and alert as he focused on his friend.

"What do you mean?"

"You've been running around like a chicken with its head cut off, for years, trying to please your father. When he says jump, you say how high. It needs to stop. You're an adult and sooner or later you need to realize that your life is your own," Nino tried to phrase it gently, he really did, but the words still came out rather bluntly and they made the blond flinch and sigh dejectedly.

"It's not that simple, Nino," Adrien said sullenly. Annoyed, Nino slammed his hands on the countertop, causing the other man to jolt in surprise.

"It is that simple! Your dad can only control you if you let him, Adrien. It's time you took charge. You've wanted to be a teacher since you were sixteen! I've seen you tutor; you would be so great at it, Adrien! You hate fashion, you hate modeling, and you especially hate business. DOn't let your father dictate what you do with your life. It's _your_ life!" The darker skinned man spoke vehemently, passion blazing in his golden brown gaze, and Adrien instinctively felt himself sitting up straighter. Nino was right. He did love teaching, and at the end of the day, it didn't matter if his father liked it or not. It was his life; his choice.

"You're right, Nino," he breathed, a hint of excitement entering his tone. He could do this; he could defy his father and do what he wanted to do for once.

"Damn straight," Nino agreed, chugging his beer before slamming the bottle down and wiping his mouth with the back of his free hand. "And I know just what you need to start getting back on the right track again!"

"What's that?" Adrien asked, amused by his best friend's conviction. The darker man grinned.

"A vacation! A friend of mine is renting out Miraculous Ski Resort for the whole month of December and she said I could invite whoever I wanted. It will give you a chance to get away from your old man for a bit, clear your head before you tell him that you don't want to take over his precious empire," he pointed out with a grin. Adrien would be lying if he said the offer wasn't an enticing one. Hell knew he needed a vacation. Between his father's overbearing nature and his midterms at school, he was completely exhausted and he hadn't been skiing since before his mother disappeared. Still, he hesitated.

"I don't know, Adrien. My father wouldn't like it; there are events he expects me to attend, like the Bourgeois Christmas Party," he pointed out. Nino rolled his eyes, exasperated.

"That's the point! Say no to your old man for once in your life. It's perfect practice!"

"What about Plagg," Adrien said next, glancing over to the fat, fluffy black cat currently stretched out beneath Adrien's Christmas tree.

"Bring him with! The resort is super pet-friendly," Nino said with a triumphant grin. He could already see his friend wavering. Adrien thought for a few more moments, but the more he thought about it the more he realized that he really wanted to go on this tip. It sounded fun and relaxing and it would get him away from his problems for a whole month. He had no other responsibilities here and it really would be good practice when it came to defying his father. After another couple minutes, he found himself nodding.

"Alright, Nino. I'll go!"

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think!


End file.
